Even a decade later, Venkatesh and Anushka Shetty starrer Nagavalli manages to scare us in the right places and make us laugh throughout.

Films always had a deeper connection with Southern audiences. Earlier in 2005, Rajinikanth and Jyothika’s film Chandramukhi shook everyone to their core. The P. Vasu directorial was a horror-comedy which unveiled the potential of combining the two genres to audiences. It is safe to say that years later, Chandramukhi remains and unforgettable film that achieved the status of starting a cult.

Watch Nagavalli here:

Almost five years since Chandramukhi, the director decided to take a leap again. This time, the home base was found in Hyderabad. With a stellar line up of cast, including Venkatesh, Anushka Shetty, Brahmanandam, Kamlinee Mukherjee, Richa Gangopadhyay, Shraddha Das, MS Narayana, Nagavalli looked promising at the outset.

The story takes inspiration from its former counterpart. However, Nagavalli is a lot more comedy than horror as opposed to Chandramukhi. At the core of both films, we find a painting that sets the dice rolling. If Chandramukhi felt too intimate, Nagavalli feels distant yet spooky. It is 2020 and we still find ourselves revisiting the film with the same excitement and eagerness. Have you ever wondered why?

Venkatesh, Brahmanandam and Avinash in Nagavalli

Let’s get the obvious ones out of the way. Venkatesh brings his brand of comedy to Nagavalli and that’s a big bonus. The veteran actor single-handedly changes the mood of the scene with his skill. Reiterating Brahmanandam’s talent makes no sense. However, all these years later, we do believe that he could have toned down his ‘act’. Or maybe that’s his USP? What do you think?

A Still in Nagavalli

While Anushka and Kamlinee really pack a punch, it seems like the other girls only stick to their description lines. However, kudos to Richa, who is known for her bubbly roles. She manages to really scare the wits out of us with her big eyes. The supporting cast help in taking the story ahead smoothly. However, we end up remembering only the leads.

Venkatesh in Nagavalli

Songs were never really a big part of horror-comedies, and Nagavalli is no different. The lighting and the camera department take it easy in this film – making the thrills less scary and the comedy more involved. The audience learns about the mood of the scene and the one after that, through a steady progression. The story is something that we have gone over time and again, and needs no special reminder.

Watch the film now on ZEE5 and let us know if feel any difference compared to the first time.